


Something More than Sex

by angstbot



Series: Readers' Choice [27]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Swen, swan queen - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:02:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25699264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstbot/pseuds/angstbot
Summary: Sex for kindness is Emma’s survival strategy. Five times Emma has sex to say thank you, and one time it's more than that. Readers’ Choice VIII, Part 4.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: Readers' Choice [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/580855
Comments: 20
Kudos: 180





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a SQ story, but there are chapters that include Emma's past with men. they'll be labeled and the scenes with men won't be explicit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emma/Original Male Character. kinda dubcon?

“You’re gonna thank me, right?”

“What?”

He raised an eyebrow, then looked down at his lap.

Oh. That kinda made sense. People always talked about it that way—don’t give it up unless there’s a ring, or he’s got a nice house, or whatever. Troy hadn’t offered anything like that, but he did scare off that bully. That probably deserved something.

“Yeah, of course.” She hoped she sounded more convincing to him than to herself.

“That’s good. Be a shame to be ungrateful after I stuck my neck out for you.” He unbuttoned his pants.

“No, I-”

He showed her where to put her hand, how to move it. He didn’t seem to notice that it was awkward. But it’d make them even, right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here be Swanfire.

It was such a clean theft. Keys out to look legitimate until no one was watching. The slim jim slid out of her sleeve so smoothly. She was in the car so easily. But she hadn’t looked in the back seat, and suddenly there he was, grinning at her and introducing himself as Neal like they met on the street and not in a stolen car. She was furious at his attitude, and then he was asking her out, and everything was out of control.

But then she ran a stop sign and got pulled over, and he might be a pervert, and a misogynist, but he’d definitely saved her from whatever would’ve happened if the cop figured out she’d stolen the car.

So when he asked, “How ‘bout that drink?” she had to go with him.

One drink became two became five and talking for hours. He was actually kind of nice to talk to, like maybe they could be friends. He kissed her. She went with it.

He grinned at her again. “Wanna go see how tiny the back seat is?”

It wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever heard, and really, she owed him for earlier.

“Yeah, sure.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one's SwanQueen.

“She saved you. She saved both of you,” Henry had said when Emma crawled out of the well. Seeing how weak Regina was—barely standing, visibly trembling—she believed it. 

She’d also seen the ache on Regina’s face when they were all standing around Snow and David in the back room of Gold’s shop and she was outside the circle, alone.

She’d especially seen Regina’s face when they left for dinner without her. It didn’t feel right to invite her along, but still, she couldn’t shake it. So, after dinner, when they’d gone back to the loft and Henry was safely asleep, she slipped out.

“Ms. Swan. What a surprise. I didn’t realize we were on a late-night visit basis.” Her tongue was sharp, but her eyes were red-rimmed. Emma knew coming here was the right thing to do.

“I made it back because of you. No matter what you did before, I owe you a thanks now.”

Something crossed Regina’s face too fast to see, and then she seemed to decide something, stepping back and gesturing for her to come inside. “I was the reason you were in danger,” she pointed out.

“You weren’t _trying_ to kill me. Henry says you’re trying to change.”

“I didn’t expect you to believe that,” Regina said, closing the door.

“I couldn’t have changed if I wasn’t given a chance. You get one too.” She followed Regina into the study and sat beside her instead of on the other side of the coffee table.

“Thank you.”

“Thank _you_.” She squeezed her hand, meeting her eyes. “Henry told me how afraid you were of Cora, how terrifying it looked when you absorbed that curse energy.”

“It wasn’t easy,” Regina admitted, glancing down.

“It was a lot,” Emma insisted, reaching out and coaxing her to look up again with gentle fingers.

Their eyes caught. Emma leaned in and kissed her, softly but intently. Regina melted into it, pulling her close and deepening the kiss. Before long, Regina’s tongue was in her mouth and Regina was in her lap.

When as her hands tangled in Regina’s clothes, the mayor pulled back, looking at her searchingly. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

Regina smiled a tiny smile and kissed her again.

She peeled away layers of cloth, kissing warm, soft skin as it was revealed. Soon her fingers were inside Regina’s panties. Her fingers were inside Regina.

Still they were kissing, lips and breaths and tongues intertwining. Emma found herself wanting it last longer, just like this with Regina moaning into her mouth, shuddering against her, rippling around her fingers.

When Regina came, she thought this was the most fun she’d ever had thanking someone.

Regina slumped against her for a few moments, then shifted off. Emma took that as her cue.

“I should probably get back,” she said, straightening her clothes.

There was that undefinable look again, but Regina agreed, “Probably. You can see yourself out?”

“Yeah,” Emma said. When she got to the door, she had a sudden impulse. “Hey, we’re having a welcome back party at Granny’s tomorrow. You should come.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: here be CaptainSwan

“You’re a bloody hero, Swan.”

“So are you.” She fluttered her eyes. “I want to thank you, Killian.” It felt strange to say his name. She hoped the awkwardness wasn’t too obvious. She owed him this. “You came back for me in New York. If you hadn’t-”

“It was the right thing to do,” he said casually, as if that had ever motivated him before.

“How did you do it? How did you get to me?”

He had to brag about outrunning the curse, of course, but when he explained that he’d traded the Jolly Roger for a magic bean to reach her, something shifted.

“You traded your ship for me?” It was obviously because he selfishly wanted to see her, but without it, she would never have come home. She stared at him in wonder for a moment, knowing how much she owed him. But she knew what to do with that kind of debt, leaning in and kissing him.

Later, when the party was over—after Regina stormed off nearly in tears when faced with Robin Hood’s wife, suddenly very much alive—Hook invited her back to his room at Granny’s. She knew it was the least she could do.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SwanQueen!

Regina had talked her into looking for Lily as a team. She commiserated about destiny (“You think it was a coincidence I adopted the Savior’s son?”) and talked about beating fate. It resonated.

Regina had stopped her from putting that awful man talking trash about how nobody liked Lily and it was good she was gone through the wall (“Emma, it’s not worth it.”). Later, she’d asked a low, intimate “Hey, you okay?” It felt nice even as she brushed it aside.

Regina had even warned her not to lose her cool (“You can’t go in with a head of steam. You’ll end up doing something you regret.”)

But it was the way Regina walked toward her when she was completely out of control—threatening murder, loaded gun in her hand, safety off—that really did it.

“Put the gun down. If you pull that trigger, you’ll be the one who ruins your life this time. And Henry’s and your parents’ and everyone’s.”

She hadn’t been ready to hear it. “I have to protect them.”

“Then lower the gun.” Regina didn’t back down. Regina never backed down, but standing her ground now—by walking toward a loaded gun—was something else. “Your parents need a hero, not a murderer”

“I’m already a murderer.”

“Cruella was an accident,” Regina shot back. “But if you cross this line, the journey back isn’t easy. Trust me, I know.” It was such a raw, real admission that it thawed her soul. “Gold wants you to go bad. So don’t.” She hesitated another moment. Regina said again, “Emma, you’re better than this.”

Regina was right. Or, at least, Emma _wanted_ her to be. So, she lowered the gun. They took Lily home to Maleficent. She stayed on the hero side of the scales for another day.

**

Knowing that Regina had done all that brought her to the front porch again. The mayor looked a lot less surprised than last time, stepping back to let her in.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“Sure.” There was no reason to rush into it. They were friends. They could have a chat.

Settled onto the couch beside Regina, glass in hand, she felt suddenly shy, out of her depth. Which was silly because they’d known each other so long, and done this before even, let alone everything Regina had done for her today.

“How’re you feeling?” Regina said at last.

“Grateful.”

“How so?”

“You-” Emma searched for the words. “You saved me. Every step of the way you were there. To- pull me back from the brink even though I just kept heading back there. I-” She stopped again, looking Regina in the eye, at a loss. This was why she usually got on with the physical stuff. She decided to stick to what she was good at, setting down her glass and leaning forward to kiss her.

Regina’s little sigh of pleasure said this was the right move. She kissed her deeply for long moments. Then Regina was tilting back, coaxing her on top, and she went readily. She had a fleeting thought that she could get used to thanking Regina.

Soon Regina’s shirt was unbuttoned and her pants were down her thighs. Emma pressed her fingers inside. It was familiar, but more than that—something about how Regina moaned, and moved, and kissed her like she might drown if she didn’t made her feel a good kind of funny. She could definitely get used to thanking Regina. 

“More,” Regina demanded, breaking the kiss.

“More?”

“Another finger. Faster.”

“Which?”

“Both!”

“Okay,” Emma chuckled, kissing the tip of her nose, and what was that about? Shaking it off, she did what she’d been told, and was rewarded by Regina gasping and grasping at her, hips rocking to meet her, to get more. She happily gave her more, feeling the tension build. Something possessed her to pull back to watch her face when she came.

When Regina’s body relaxed, she gently pulled her fingers out and started straightening her clothing.

Regina’s hand was warm on her wrist. “Don’t.”

“What?”

“Don’t just put your clothes on and leave. We’re past that, aren’t we?”

Emma wasn’t sure what that meant. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”

“I’d like the sex to be more symmetrical, for one. But, this isn’t just sex, is it? Not now, not after everything.”

“Can we put clothes on for this conversation?”

“Yes, of course,” Regina said, dressing herself efficiently.

Soon they were on opposite ends of the settee, and Emma wondered if she could survive the awkwardness.

“ So what’s up?” she asked when she couldn’t bear it anymore.

“What’s u- Emma,” Regina sighed. “Alright, I’ll bite. I care about you. I enjoy spending time with you. I enjoy having sex with you.”

“Thank you?”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Do you feel the same?”

“Yeah, of course. You’re great.”

“Generally, when people care about each other, enjoy spending time together, and enjoy having sex, we say they are-?”

“Close?”

“Dating, Emma. When people spend time together and have sex, they’re dating.”

“Oh. Oh! I never thought about it that way. Yeah, I guess that’s- what this is.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Emma realized that Regina had put herself out there, but needed Emma to meet her half way. “Yeah. A great thing. It’s- not something I usually do, but not because I’m against it. Just- hard to trust people.”

“But you trust me?” Emma’s heart ached at the uncertainty on her face.

“Yeah. You’ve had my back so many times. And you’re very attractive. Maybe I should have been dating you this entire time?”

Regina chuckled and kissed her. It was both startlingly new and achingly familiar.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and SwanQueen to finish.

The first thing Emma noticed was the kissing. It happened a lot now—at hello, at goodbye, when she somehow did exactly the right thing to light up Regina’s face with joy. Cheek kisses with the family. Neck kisses alone on the couch. Forehead kisses when one of them was exhausted from the latest villain out to destroy them. Easy, familiar kisses. Quick, playful kisses. Slow, deep, kisses that made Emma feel vaguely hungry. There was a whole gallery, all totally unlike the way she’d kissed Regina during her thank you-s.

She’d spent a lot of time with Regina for a while. Months, maybe almost a year? Family movie night or dinner at Granny’s or a walk down by the water. They still did all of that, but almost every day. It was different, too—and not just because of the kisses. They sat closer, often touching the whole evening. When they reached out to move the other in the kitchen making dinner or get the other’s attention or emphasize a point, fingertips lingered. It was warm and easy and startlingly right. 

And there was a charge between them now. A tingle when Regina’s body brushed against hers to get by. A jolt low in her belly when Regina bent over to pick something up. It raced along her skin when one kiss became a long session on the couch pressed against each other, and she remembered how it felt to make her come. She wanted to do it again. It wasn’t the familiar feeling of wanting to get off, nor the instrumental sex she was used to, but a craving very specifically about Regina. Looking at her, touching her, hearing her-

“You look like you want to have me for dessert,” Regina said, turning back from where she’d put the stereo on.

“I think I do.” She felt nearly overwhelmed by it.

Regina’s little pleased hum raced up Emma’s spine. “Dance with me.” Emma realized her confusion must have shown on her face, because she followed up with, “Let it build. It’ll be worth it. Trust me.”

“I do,” Emma said, light but also heavy, walking over. Regina slid her hands up onto her shoulders like they did this all the time. She put her hands on Regina’s waist and started swaying to the music with her. It was nice and easy and left her tingling all at the same time. Soon, Regina moved closer. Emma rested their foreheads together, trying to focus on the sweet part and dial back the anticipation.

Until Regina tucked her face against Emma’s neck and started kissing up toward her ear. It was soft and warm. There was no sucking or biting. It should have been easy intimacy. But yet her pulse was pounding in her ears.

“You said let it build.” Her voice sounded ragged.

“Yes.”

“It’s built.”

Regina’s chuckle raced along her nerve endings. “Now what?”

“I want to take your clothes off.” She felt vaguely ridiculous.

“Then we’d better go upstairs.”

Emma just nodded vigorously, then followed her in an eager daze. When Regina’s bedroom door closed behind them, it hit her. “Oh.”

“What?”

“You’re gonna see me naked.”

Regina laughed. “Emma, you’ve been knuckle-deep in my cunt. Now you’re shy?”

“That’s a word I wasn’t expecting to hear.”

“Cunt? What did you expect, ‘pussy’?”

“I didn’t really think about it.”

“What did you think about?” At Emma’s blank look, she added, “You seem to have had ideas earlier.”

“General goals. Nudity, orgasms.”

“I approve,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Let’s not overthink it,” she added, then stepped close and kissed her again.

Emma was happy to do it, losing herself in the kiss and in running her hands over Regina as they made their way across to the bed. When they arrived, Regina gave her a little push to sit down, then straddled her lap.

“I approve,” Emma echoed. They both chuckled into their next kiss.

The kisses were good. The press of their bodies together was better. But she wanted to be closer, laying back and coaxing Regina down on top of her. When Regina kissed her again, it was wonderfully more. She sank into it, still touching, stroking, gripping all over.

After long moments, Regina pulled back. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”

“You, too.” Her hands raised to unbutton Regina’s shirt, and Regina’s hands lowered to unbutton her pants.

She wondered if this should go slower, but when she looked up again after finally struggling the rest of the way out of her jeans and Regina’s breasts were bare, all she could do was moan.

Regina glanced down, able to follow her line of sight well enough. “See something you want?”

“Yes.”

“That can be arranged. Get the rest of your clothes off and get up onto the bed properly.”

Emma did, and felt no shame about how fast. In the next moment Regina straddled her waist.

“Open your mouth.” She must’ve made a face, because Regina said, “Trust me.”

“Okay.” She did.

Regina leaned over her. “Be still. Let it build.” Then she rested a nipple on the tip her tongue and just stayed there. Emma wanted to suck, to bite, to just close her mouth and _feel_ her. Her mouth watered. She felt herself get wetter. She was sure she would die from “letting it build,” and it might not be a bad way to go.

Just when she thought she couldn’t stand it anymore, Regina said, “Alright. Go.”

Emma almost sobbed with relief when her mouth closed around the nipple, her tongue stroking for a moment before she started to suck.

“See how nice that is?” Regina asked, breathy.

“Yes,” she groaned, barely opening her mouth to not lose contact. But Regina felt too far away, hovering above her, she needed much more contact.

“Can we roll over?” she mumbled around the nipple.

“There she is,” Regina murmured, moving off and looking at her.

“Hm?” Emma asked, following and pressing on top of her.

“You seemed a bit lost, but you found it.”

“Oh yeah,” Emma said, kissing her deeply. She reveled in it for long moments, skin to skin all the way down. But she needed to be touching her, pulling back just enough to trail hot, open kisses along Regina’s jaw, neck, collarbones, listening to her pleased hums and making her own. She nuzzled across the soft plane of Regina’s chest, pausing to press her lips over her heart and between her breasts.

But oh, her breasts. Emma cupped one as she wrapped her mouth around the other nipple, luxuriating in feeling her against tongue-palate-teeth for long moments. Releasing it, she immediately moved her mouth to the other and her fingers to pinch and roll the first. She moved back and forth again and again, until Regina was squirming and pushing down on her shoulders.

Emma smiled up at her, then took the hint, nuzzling Regina’s ribs and brushing her lips across the soft skin of her belly as she moved downward. She kissed her hipbones and the strong muscle of her thigh. Then it seemed like the easiest thing in the world to let her tongue find where Regina was so very wet. The moan she got was exquisite. She started with slow, easy strokes, exploring, getting to know her in this way that was new and different. And intense- she’d eaten women before, but there was something about Regina that made her want to keep going forever.

When she started stroking her steady and direct, Regina sighed, “Yes.” She had to pause what she was doing to smile up at her.

Regina smiled back, then gripped her hair to pull her mouth back down. Emma want gladly, swirling her tongue now. Soon she was sucking at her clit, and the sounds Regina was making made her craving to make her feel amazing surge up. She slid both arms around her thighs, holding them against her biceps to keep her close, because she needed to give her everything. Not because she owed her, but because _she_ was everything. It was so good: the delicious hot slickness of her and her hand cupping her face; her luxuriant moans and the way she twined the fingers of her other hand with Emma’s. It felt so good to touch her and to be giving her so much pleasure.

She felt the tension building and gave her more, fluttering her tongue and sucking intently, staying with her as her gasps became moans and her hips started to jerk.

Then she was coming, and Emma just kept sucking, swirling, fluttering until Regina pushed her away with trembling hands.

“That was-” she gasped.

Emma couldn’t stop smiling.

Regina took a few ragged breaths, then tried again. “Gimme a minute and I’ll turn your body into jelly, too.”

“Can’t wait,” Emma said, nuzzling back up Regina’s body to press alongside her.

A moment later Regina rolled them over, pressing a thigh where Emma suddenly realized she was very wet.

“Hi.” It took all her willpower not to desperately rock against that thigh.

Regina just said “Hi” back, her voice low and velvety. She slid her fingers between them and over her clit.

“Oh fuck.”

Regina hummed, and then her fingers were inside, starting a slow, deep motion that was amazing and yet had Emma eager for more. When she started to rock to meet her, Regina staged moving faster, kissing her deep and hungry. Emma lost herself in it, the pleasure but also the closeness, knowing that this wasn’t nothing important and that it was Regina electrifying her body.

She felt the heat building low in her belly like she was close to coming already. She rode the white-hot edge of it, electric pleasure and soft warmth, wanting to make it last.

When she remembered she could do this again any time, she gasped.

Regina froze.

“Don’t stop,” Emma gasped out, clutching at her desperately. Regina went back to touching her and she was here again in moments. She happily let the orgasm wash over her this time.

Regina pulled back to look at her. “What happened, then?”

“I remembered that I get to keep doing this with you for a long time.”

“Yes,” Regina said, leaning down and kissing her slow and sweet.

When Regina draped herself over her and pulled up the covers, Emma felt contentment settle over her too. It was so new and different from how it had always been. A fierce joy sparked in her chest. This must be it.


End file.
